Images

The object of life is to come in first
Get behind the wheel, quench your thirst
Racing the asphalt, so hot under sun
Outlasting your competition, the battle be won
The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat
The beauty of it all
Is so bittersweet
And now you are
In the driver’s seat
A whole lot of options
As life continues on repeat

This is an annual celebration held by the Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church and other congregations around the nation. To “hang the greens” is to put up the wreaths on the church doors, and evergreens in the parish. It’s usually done just before or during the religious season of advent.

It was the fifth or sixth time we, meaning me, mom, and Jay, went to the Hanging of the Greens, skipping over the church service (went to it the first time some years ago, which actually makes the event more special) and going to the after party consisting of a buffet of roasted nuts, cookies, chocolate sticks, coconut pastries, and hot chocolate.

After eating my share of sweets, not going overboard, I got in line for the carriage ride. I originally was outside before this, admiring the fireworks shooting off over the Kresge Center. A first on this annual celebration or maybe I just never noticed it before because I was always inside.

The carriage ride was the same as before, taking a trip around the campus, past the clocktower, seeing a few other horse drawn carriages. An old lady sitting next to me on a haystack was singing Christmas songs, such as Jingle Bells and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, to her young ones nearby. The air was very cool and the people around calm and pleasant as always in this town.

There was a huge gathering in the courtyard of people, a candlelight vigil, just before this carriage ride. Celebrating the coming of Christmas, spreading happiness and joy all around. I don’t live in this area anymore, so it is hard to feel apart of the festivities, but what I like to realize is that there are still many little places in the world, such as this town, that are safe to walk around in and not be afraid. Nothing exciting or new ever happens in this small town, a fact that is forever true after being away for five years and tonight feeling like it was just yesterday.

Today I took a walk in the thick meadow behind some houses in front of mine where the powerline structures are situated, a first. I was kind of nervous at first because I didn’t know what was out in this area, if wildlife was hiding in the tall brush or if I was going to get in trouble (a plane went by overhead and then took a sharp turn somewhere, hopefully not to the authorities). I jumped a few times when I heard rustling in the stalks, thinking a snake was going to slither out but it was just the wind. I went as far as the outskirts of a farm (below) because of it being private property.

When man erected the first powerlines, they didn’t do it with aesthetics in mind at first. After the sky became blocked out by jumbles of wires belonging to multiple technologies, a more organized approach in environmentalism and safety was taken with the dangers of living too close to powerlines being raised. They can cause serious health effects to humans in some cases.

I didn’t worry about that, fortunately. It was quite an adventure, one teetering on the edge of danger I have to say.

Tickets to Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Two tickets, one for Uncle J and I.

A pre-screening before the film actually releases to the public on December 18th. Exclusive stuff.

For the first time in my life, I’ll be seeing a film in its red zone, that is when it’s at its hottest point at the box office and people are dying to go see it in theaters during the first week. And my suspicions were right about getting tickets early online because when I got mine today from the ticket girl, she said two theaters in the area had already been sold out with only about 45 admit ones remaining. Most likely less now as I write this. That’s popular.

I’m silently getting excited, so much that I want to watch all six films again, in order this time. I’m not the biggest Star Wars fan, but this is one movie I definitely want to be apart of, along with die-hard geeks and religious fanatics. I’m going to see the film, but I don’t know if I’ll go as far as getting into cosplay and really living the experience.

I can’t believe the time has finally come. I remember first hearing about the movie in 2012 when Disney bought Lucasfilm for a whopping 4.5 billion (does someone sign a check or something?) and shook the Internet to its breaking point. I, like many people, was initially critical of the decision, joking that Star Wars was going to turn into a really sanitized family flick with Disney cliché all around. I even made a video on ten reasons why Disney would fail with Star Wars, such as having storm troopers with Mickey Mouse ears and having Jar Jar moving to the Dark Side – so wrong on so many levels that I’m embarrassed to even feature it here. But when J.J. Abrams of Lost fame was announced as the director, my approval rating shot straight up with the cool sound effect of a lightsaber.

Now 2015 has arrived and the skepticism is long gone and excitement and rumor is peaking, especially with the sneak peek of the cross-shaped lightsaber being wielded by a new character named Kylo Ren, who may or may not be the successor to Darth Vader.

These are the kind of moments I love to blog about. Pop cultural things that are relevant to the world. Fun stuff that I’m interested in and can explore further in other places. Having original pictures to go along with my posts is also what makes my blogging experience worthwhile.

45 more days until new and old fans go nuts, and I’ll be one of the first to the starting line. Does it really matter though, who is first? No, but bragging rights are bragging rights and I can always put down in my memoir that I was one of the first for something.

Because I’m allowed to under the first amendment, simply put. Getting thoughts out of my head and into words is also great therapy for me. If I get it off my mind and into my blog, it won’t worry me anymore.